November 1993: “You Focus on the Science. We’ll Focus on the Fundraising.”

PCF convenes leading cancer researchers, elected officials and philanthropists at the Charlottesville, Virginia home of John Kluge for the “Call to Action” dinner. The goal of the evening is to map out the future of medical research – and figure out how to fund it.

Several researchers in the room share their frustration at constantly having to search for the next grant to continue their research. Mike finally stands up and tells them something they’ve never heard before:

“Your job is to do the science. My job is to get the money.”

True to his word, over the next two-plus decades PCF will raise more than $660 million for prostate cancer research, and the field will be elevated from “career suicide” to one of the most influential areas of cancer research.